A West Virginia University-led initiative is expanding to 11 counties in the state, offering increased access to health care and life skills for low-income pregnant women and families through the West Virginia Healthy Start/Helping Appalachian Parents and Infants (HAPI) project.
The program, which partners with local organizations, targets communities with infant mortality rates at least 1.5 times the national average and high percentages of other adverse maternal and infant outcomes. Its goal is to reduce preterm labor, low birth weights and improve the overall health of mothers and families.
The HAPI project is managed by the WVU School of Medicine’s Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences and the WVU Research Office. A recent grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will provide $1.1 million annually for the next five years, extending assistance to Barbour, Harrison, Marion, Monongalia, Preston, Randolph and Upshur counties, and adding Doddridge, Hardy, Marshall and Wetzel counties.
Over the past two decades, the program has collaborated with community agencies to offer maternity services and resources such as preventive care, parenting education, career planning and relationship goals. Each year, more than 800 West Virginia women or families participate in the program. Following childbirth, HAPI provides 18 months of support for the family.
“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to continue serving families in West Virginia,” said Penny Womeldorff, director of the West Virginia Healthy Start/HAPI Project. “We have spent 23 years building a network of providers and partners to address the needs of pregnant and parenting families and will now be able to continue to expand our reach to additional counties that need us.”
HAPI collaborates with Right From The Start, a state program offering case management and home visitation services for pregnant women, postpartum women and infants up to one year old with Medicaid, CHIP or maternity services coverage. “We partner with them to provide a much more comprehensive package of services for the families we serve,” Womeldorff said.
HAPI also provides breastfeeding education and consultations with certified lactation counselors, which has increased breastfeeding initiation rates from 59.7% in 2017 to 76.6% in 2022.
In conjunction with the WVU School of Dentistry, HAPI promotes oral health by encouraging family dental visits and providing Sonicare toothbrushes after checkups. “We provide education around the impact of poor oral health and pregnancy,” Womeldorff said. “We’re trying to improve our birth outcomes by keeping everybody’s mouth healthy.”
A fatherhood coordinator is also available to offer guidance on parental engagement and employment and relationship goals. The program’s impact extends beyond health and parenting outcomes, with some clients returning as outreach workers or pursuing further education.
Dr. Rawan El-Amin, HAPI’s principal investigator, praised the integration of medical and community-based services. “HAPI is a great bridge between medical and social/community-based services,” El-Amin said. “This funding is critical to continuing our efforts of raising awareness and coordinating treatment of important conditions in pregnancy and the postpartum period.”
Currently, Sadie Lobdell of Townsend, Delaware, and Courtney Dillow of Mechanicsville, Virginia, are completing their practicum as Designated Care Coordinators and plan to continue working with HAPI.
HAPI hosts several community events to raise awareness about prenatal and early childhood health, including the annual “Baby and Me Day” at Meadowbrook Mall in Bridgeport, which features vendor booths from WVU Medicine and various state agencies.
“It’s an opportunity for folks to learn about pregnancy and parenting and fill out a referral for our program,” Womeldorff said. “Our goal is to support our families and help them ensure they have everything they need through their pregnancy, early parenting and beyond.”
The WV Healthy Start/HAPI Project is funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration and the Maternal and Child Health Bureau Division of Healthy Start and Perinatal Services and integrates with the state-supported program, Right From The Start.
